21 January 2010 – Thursday

Another cool morning – hurrah for Israel and Richards Bay.

The morning was a combination of the spiritual and the mundane. On the mundane side was returning the non-functioning air-conditioner to Games for a refund. I thought I might run into some resistance when I asked for a full cash refund, but it took only a few minutes and no hassle to get a slip that I could take to any cashier and get the cash. However since the store had just opened they did ask that I come back later when they would have money in their till.

We then went to DDM where I gave the spiritual thought on D&C 4. I suggested that while we have it memorized, we should take the time to read it carefully and ponder just what is said. I discussed a few of the verses and ended with pointing out that the last verse – the promise of what would happen if the missionaries did what the Lord asked in the rest of the revelation – related to everyday missionary work. ‘Ask and you shall receive’ reminds us to ask for referrals from EVERYONE as emphasized in PMG. Then ‘Knock and it will be opened unto you’ could relate to Prime Time when they should be knocking on gates and doors.

After DDM we stopped at McDonalds drive-up and got some lunch to bring home. We then filled up the car with the things we needed for English class and Youth at Port Durnford.

There was one more mundane thing that needed to be done – cashing the four checks I got from the District last night. I never know what it will be like when I try to get a check cashed. There can be anything from long lines and multiple people who have to approve or there can be no lines and the check quickly cashed. Today it was the latter and it was made even faster by the fact that the same teller who helped me yesterday, helped me today.

On the drive to Port Durnford we noticed that the cool morning was slowly giving way to a warmer afternoon. The clouds had thinned and the sun was finding holes to shine through. Since we got to PD earlier than we needed to, we drove up to see if Thandi Nzama was coming to Youth. It turned out that she was gone but we did get a chance to see how the re-model was doing and it looks great. They have a new roof, an expanded front room and for the first time they have ceilings so you do not look up at the underside of the roof. It looks really nice.

Mary had a very reduced English class of one. Only sister Mlondo was there but in some ways that was good because she knows less English than the others. Mary found out that she never got to go to school because her father did not think women needed schooling. So any education she got was on her own.

Youth went well. We registered them all for Seminary or Institute, gave them their manuals, gave a short lesson, and then played the spoon and bean game. We have 6 stalwarts – we found that Blessing was staying with family away from PD and of course we still have not seen Gabi since before Christmas. She is supposed to be getting home from Durban this week and we hope to see her on Sunday.

We were leaving the PD building when I realized that we had not given them their snacks. Siya had been trying to get away to study with his friends but I had convinced him to stay for Youth. As soon as youth was over he started to hurry away. But when I mentioned there were treats he immediately turned around and joined in eating the goodies. Some things are more important than friends and studying.

Some days I wonder if we are really doing any good here and then I think about the young people we have the opportunity to work with and decide that if we can help just one or two of them to stay active in the church, go on missions, get married in the temple, or just keep the commandments and stay pure, the time and effort is more than rewarded. We may never know what good we did until we meet some of them on the other side.